Question

I have a sql 2008 database and I am creating a stored procedure that shall check if a datetime is more than 3 hours old but I don’t know how to do it.

Do you have some way to do it?

the datetime is a field in the table.

BR

Answer 1

Rather than applying DATEDIFF to the column value, which will negate an index, I suggest using a comparison of the column to an expression (which can use an index).

If you want this as a filter:

SELECT columns
FROM dbo.table
WHERE DateTimeColumn < DATEADD(HOUR, -3, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP);

(If you want only the rows that are newer than 3 hours old, change < to > or >=.)

If you want to return all rows with a column showing whether it is more than 3 hours old:

SELECT columns, [3HoursOld] = CASE
    WHEN DateTimeColumn < DATEADD(HOUR, -3, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
    THEN 'Yes, older than 3 hours.'
    ELSE 'No, not older than 3 hours.'
END
FROM dbo.table;